Buck Up!
Portable Seat Lift Device
Mechanical Engineering
August 2024 - May 2025
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Why?
Who?
What?
To give people with limited mobility the freedom to participate fully in daily life by removing the physical barriers that make rising from a seat difficult and socially limiting.
A lightweight, power-free portable seat lift that quietly delivers a smooth 20 to 30 degree rise and an 8-inch back lift while supporting up to 220 lbs in a compact frame under 5 lbs.
Individuals who face mobility challenges and want greater independence and confidence when navigating everyday environments without relying on bulky aids or constant assistance.
The Process
Initial Concepts and Research
I started by sketching different spring layouts and lever ideas, including early concepts for a pneumatic gas spring system, and reviewed existing devices and related patents to understand why current options fail users who want something small, quiet, and independent. These sketches and quick SolidWorks mockups helped me see what was mechanically realistic before moving into full mechanisms.
Skills & Tools: sketching, early ideation, market and patent research, SolidWorks concept modeling
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4 Bar Linkage Model
Using the early concepts as a base, I built the 4-bar linkage model's assembly in SolidWorks to visualize the motion and made a laser-cut model to test it physically. Our EES calculations showed the system only generated about 4.5 lbs of vertical force at a 5 degree starting angle, which made it clear it could not meet our lift requirements.
Skills & Tools: SolidWorks Motion Study, EES, kinematic analysis, laser-cut prototyping
At this point, we determined that the 4-Bar Linkage Model couldn't get enough vertical force!
Torque Based Model
After the realisation, I went back to concept sketches and created a torque based lifting system. This approach used the spring more effectively at the start of the lift and gave us a motion path that finally aligned with user needs.
Prototyping
I built a laser-cut prototype to confirm the torque-based motion path and followed it with a scaled 3D-printed model of a higher fidelity to test geeometry and folding concepts. These prototypes validated the mechanics and helped identify the dimensional and concept adjustments needed before creating the final model and assembly.
Final Design & Deliverables
The final SolidWorks assembly integrates the torque-based lifting mechanism with a pneumatic gas spring and a folding system into a compact design that meets the main criteria: under 5 lbs, an 8 inch back lift, and a 20 to 30 degree rise while staying quiet and fully power independent.
The design matters because it offers a realistic path toward a lift device that supports true user independence without bulk, noise, or electrical power, making everyday environments more accessible for people with mobility challenges.
